Before The Gates
by TrappedInWonderland
Summary: After fighting Pain, Tsunade slips into a coma. What happens as she appears before the gates?


**Hi! This is my first try at a Naruto one shot, I've only done Bleach in the past, but it came to me- what happened to Tsunade while she was in her coma? I came up with this oneshot in hopes of shedding some light on that subject. I hope you like it and please review!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own diddly, or squat, or Naruto  
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It was dark, that she was sure of, and it was warm. The sensations around her weren't at all unpleasant and she was rather content on the whole. There was a light ahead and she continued to make her way to it, not exactly sure what it was. She felt herself become impatient, for what she had no clue, and she began to run. She came closer and closer until it was just a few more steps. She slowed, something in the back of her mind warned her that this was wrong and that she needed to go back. But that didn't make any sense, why go back to the dark tunnel when the light was right here.

Tsunade had taken three steps before her wrist was caught in a strong grip. The calloused hand was large and very rough, yet extremely gentle. She whirled, making a fist in reaction and prepared to hit her captor.

"Wait!" the owner of the hand cried, her hand froze and her eyes became as wide as saucers.

"It…can't be…" she said turning to face him.

And yet it was him, it was his white hair, those same red marks that seemed so familiar, and that smirk. It was him, she would recognize that smirk anywhere. His expression softened and his eyes welled with…she turned so that she could not see it.

"What the hell are you doing here? I thought you were-"

"I am." he cut off the rest of her accusations, and probable insults.

"Then why the hell are you here?" she snapped.

"Because you aren't supposed to be." he answered simply.

"What? What's that got to do with anything?" she asked, confused.

"Because if you had taken another step you would have been, and like I said you aren't supposed to yet." he said.

He still held her wrist, but neither were making any move to separate. She looked into his eyes for a moment. Damn it. He was telling the truth, which meant he was right. She hated it when he was right. Especially if she was wrong.

"So you're here to stop me? Why can't I just go and be at peace?" she asked, or more like snarled.

"Because you have to watch him for me. I'm not there anymore to look out for the boy, you're all he has left." he explained.

"So I gotta clean up your messes?" she mumbled.

"He's family." a familiar voice said from behind her.

She turned and came face to face with Minato Namikaze, the fourth Hokage. Next to him was the serene and beautiful Kushina. To the woman's right stood…Dan….and Nawaki… Tsunade could only gape in wonder and confusion as she took in her old friends, her family. The loved ones she had lost along the path of life. They were only there for a moment, but Minato's command and plea was clear, it rang true in each of their eyes. Tsunade would stay alive, for now, for Naruto.

"And because I want at least one of us to live as long as we planned." Jiriya said with a small smile.

She froze again and made no move as his hand slipped from her wrist and his fingers tangled with hers. He felt her shaking, hell he could see her shaking, and he touched her shoulder gently.

"Why?" she asked, her voice cracking with emotion.

He waited for her to elaborate.

"You said you would come back! You promised! You promised!" she accused whirling on him, the hurt and loss was clear in her eyes and yet she didn't shed a tear.

"Sometimes…plans just don't go the way they were supposed to….I fully intended to return to you Tsunade." he said gently, staring right back into her golden eyes.

He knew she was meaning all of them, Minato and Kushina, Dan, and Nawaki, but he said nothing as she directed all of her emotion at him.

She slumped forward and her forehead hit his shoulder.

"What no tears?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"I already shed them, I won't do it again." she said, she sounded choked and he glanced down confused, until he felt something wet on his clothing. He smiled softly and put his arms around her shoulders.

"Of course." he agreed with her statements, not daring to contradict her.

They stayed like that for awhile until she felt something tugging her, bringing her back to reality.

"It's time." he said, announcing that he felt it to.

She quickly wiped her face and looked into his eyes one last time.

"Take care of the knuckle head will ya?" he asked with a grin.

"Of course, I'm the Hokage after all." she said with a smirk of her own.

"And Tsunade?" he asked as she was walking away.

"Yeah?" she said turning back to him.

He leaned down and kissed her lightly, "Take care of yourself, okay my Flat Chested Princess?"

She hit his shoulder playfully and turned quickly to hide her fresh tears, "Yeah, whatever."

She journeyed away from the light, away from him, and away from the others. She knew one day she would see them all again, but until then she had a certain ninja to look after, she was his grandmother after all, his Obaa-chan.

xXxXxXxXxXxXx

Tsunade's eyelids fluttered open and then closed again as the light stabbed at them. She groaned and tried to raise her arm to protect them but found I pinned to her side…by an emotional ninja clad in bright orange. Bright, bright orange that wasn't helping the eye problem.

"Obaa-chan!" he cried, his hug getting tighter.

"N-Naruto?" she asked shocked.

"You're awake!" he said softly, his arms tightening again.

She looked at Shizune bewildered and then let her face fall into a soft smile. She felt tears hit her shoulder but ignored them as the patted the boys back. He pulled away shortly after, discreetly wiping his eyes, and she was quickly embraced by Shizune, also crying onto the fifth Hokage's shoulder in relief.

"You're okay." the black haired medical-nin whispered.

"Of course. Me? Die? And leave the village to that idiot? Nonsense." the slug princess said softly to the girl she thought of as a daughter.

Shizune smiled, though no one could see it, as she cried and held onto her precious master. Tsunade was alive and that was all that mattered.

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_~Ang Pagtatapos~_**  
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**So there you have it! What happened to Tsunade while she was in her coma! I hope you liked it and again please, please, please review! They're what let me know that I'm doing something right! :)**


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